Colombia’s iron ore and steel exports fell by both worth and volume in the first six months of 2020 compared with H1 2019 due to lower demand because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Colombia’s iron ore and steel exports by worth fell by 12.8pc to $245.1mn in H1 2020, from $281mn in H1 2019. In terms of volume, iron ore and steel shipments decreased by 9.4pc to 84,714mt in H1 2020 from 93,512mt in the first six months of 2019, according to Colombia’s National Administrative Department of Statistics (Dane).
Between January and June this year, the South American country shipped 58,024mt of ferronickel, down from 60,031mt in H1 2019, while the worth of ferronickel exports declined to $194.2mn from $211.9mn during the same period under consideration.
Colombia’s copper exports decreased by 7.5pc to 15,605mt in H1 2020 from 16,887mt in the same period last year. Exports of non-ferrous materials by volume fell by 10pc to 5,179mt in H1 2020 from 6,358mt in H1 2019, and by worth, non-ferrous shipments went down by 4.7pc to $27,795 in H1 2020, from $29,159 in H1 2019, Dane noted.
The South American country produced 475,000mt of crude steel in H1 2020, down by 29.4pc from 673,000mt in H1 2019, according to the latest World Steel Association data.